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From the Rolls-Royce experimental archive: a quarter of a million communications from Rolls-Royce, 1906 to 1960's. Documents from the Sir Henry Royce Memorial Foundation (SHRMF).
Copy of a letter from Leyland Motors to arrange a meeting about tank design.

Identifier  ExFiles\Box 144\4\  scan0151
Date  1st November 1940
  
COPY OF A LETTER RECEIVED FROM LEYLAND'S.

Leyland Motors Ltd.,
LEYLAND.
Lancs.

HSJ/NL.

1.11.40.

W.A.Robotham,Esq.,
Messrs Rolls,Royce Ltd.,
DERBY.

Dear Mr. Robotham,

I returned to Leyland today after having had a telephone conversation with Mr. Durrant, the Director of Tank Design, from Kingston yesterday.

I have endeavoured to contact with you by telephone from here, but was only able to send you a message through your Secretary and I am still expecting a 'phone call from you. In case this should not come through, I wish to inform you of the tentative arrangements, which are subject to your approval.

In the first place, Mr. Durrant appeared very interested in the proposition which I put briefly to him, and told me that he would very much like to meet you and Pilkington at his Department, that is Wood Lee, Virginia Water, on Wednesday next, the 6th. inst., at 11 a.m. I have suggested to Mr. Pilkington that he should travel up to Derby on Tuesday night, stay the night there, subject to your being able to pick him up and proceed from Derby by car first thing on Wednesday morning.

Mr. Durrant indicated his willingness to produce all that is known up to date on current and earlier tank design, and I feel that your first meeting with him should be on the lines of a general discussion as to the type of tank that would be most useful to meet their needs, bearing in mind the three main factors of performance, hitting power and protective armouring.

I have read the copy of your notes which you have forwarded to Mr. Liardet and can concur that so far as I am personally concerned they represent an accurate record of the discussion between ourselves during our meeting with Mr. Hives and yourself on Tuesday last.

I am hoping to be able to have a conversation with you before you make your first visit, but if this should not materialise then Pilkington will be fully primed with our views so far as they go.

P.T.O.
  
  


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